Midnight Pumpkin Forum

[FESTER2004]

hello , does anybody still have a midnight pumpkin? i have a new one i got from tower hobbies n they stopped making it! just finished puttn it together(actaully a friend of mine did most of the work). its all stock exept i jb welded the tires to the rims to gain extra traction.i have yet to take it in the street, i only ran it in my living room n on a gym floor. i wona set of new boca bearinfs for it from ebay n i am waiting on that to coem int he mail. i want to add a esc n a 17 x 2 motor,. does anybody know any good mods for it? i know it ant a race truck but y not? i also got a rtr super hornet off ebay n that thing is cool. my future buys are a stadium blitzer n a extreme blackfoot,also want a t maxx too!so if anybody knows any good mods for the pumpkin let me know n lets lets start the ball rolling on this forum ok.

[jocktheglide165]

i have one NIB havent had time to put it together.

[minijosh]

I have a NIB also. I'm not going to build it ever.

[jocktheglide165]

I think I might build my body I just like painting them for some reason....

[munim]

Got one here as well. I got it for my birthday when I was 8 years old. Damn fun truck man. I got a lot of parts for it last year to restore the body and the suspension but I never got around to it. I'm putting off R/C until I have time to do things properly.

[ufdog]

Here's a pumpkin I've been worrking on. It has Maxx shocks, 2.2 wheels, and proline masher tires....
http://www.mustangmods.com/data/9843/monsterpumpkin.jpg

[hemiclod]

here is my pumpkin i have this one since they first came out in i think it was 1986.

[Hazy75]

Well i had one but is a 1987 NIB.Really temping to build it. :p

[Saito]

I find it amazing that the Pumpkin stuck around for so long. It and its brother, the Lunch Box, were both neat popular trucks back in the day. Great fun. Somehow the Pumpkin got the nod while the Lunch Box went away. When I started to look into RC again in '03 I was shocked to see the Midnight Pumpkin and Clod Buster still for sale. Two of the "old guard" trucks that never went away.

[xhardwarex]

I find it amazing that the Pumpkin stuck around for so long. It and its brother, the Lunch Box, were both neat popular trucks back in the day. Great fun. Somehow the Pumpkin got the nod while the Lunch Box went away. When I started to look into RC again in '03 I was shocked to see the Midnight Pumpkin and Clod Buster still for sale. Two of the "old guard" trucks that never went away.

I agree, I just bought a new Lunchbox on Friday. I just found out last week that they re-released it and I was very excited about that. I wanted this back in 90 and I couldn't afford it being 13 years old. I have it half way assembled and plan on finishing it tonight after work. Taimiya had some great cars in it's days. I really hope for a Monster Beetle Re-Release.

[Saito]

I know what you mean. When I was little, I wanted a Wild Willy in the worst way (still do). By time I was old enough to start saving/earning that kind of money it was discontinued. The Monster Beetle was my current favorite at the time, but was too pricey. I walked out of the hobby shop with my second favorite, the Lunch Box, and was still happy as can be.

[Seb76]

:confused: Midnight pumpkin, it's like lunch box?

[xhardwarex]

:confused: Midnight pumpkin, it's like lunch box?

They are the same vehicle except for a different body and body mounts.

[Seb76]

Thanks ;)

[AndyB]

Here's mine, still lots to do but she's getting there :D
http://www.pbase.com/sarrana/image/54311798.jpg

[FORDLUV]

I Have A Pumpkin Its 22 Years Old

[FORDLUV]

And I Just Bought A Lunchbox

[kawasakirider]

in the thread pics of your trucks a kid has one and someone on here uploaded the pic for him

[FORDLUV]

what?????

[AndyB]

in the thread pics of your trucks a kid has one and someone on here uploaded the pic for him

I don't follow, what do you mean?

[kawasakirider]

ok sorry um on this forum there is a thread called " pics of your trucks " and all the people were uploading pictures of there monster trucks and one kid had one and he couldn't upload the pics so someone on here did it for him

[xhardwarex]

Did everyone know they are re-releasing the Midnight Pumpkin?

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=58365

[kurrz]

That truck looks sweet. The LE that is. Any word on release date?

[FORDLUV]

I Heard It Is Mid April

[mook]

andyb, what are those wheels and tyres and where to get, and perhaps a silly question do they fit the box/pumpkin without mods?

[wyattburp]

Can anyone tell me the color code (TS- ) for the standard color on a Pumpkin body? I don't have a manual...

[wyattburp]

For anyone else looking for this information, the color code is TS-14.

Hmm..I know someone else here knew this...

[BFassassin]

what type of batteries do tou run in your pumpkin. i have one from years ago but its not working any more (i think its the battery so i want to get a new one)

[wyattburp]

Any battery pack would work. I have some 3300's I don't use in my T4 anymore that are dedicated to my lunchbox... I've thought about picking up some old epic sport 3000's for cheap, since they would work just as good and are really cheap..

[BFassassin]

i ordered a 2100 one a couple of days ago(for £16stg) and it will hopefully be here before the end of the week. its not very powerfull but it will do for now i can always get another one

[tevan52700]

i need front shocks my original plastic ones snapped
any place offer metal pumpkin shocks??? steven

[zueslilbuddy]

This i got on e-bay like a month ago. I got a guy to trade with me. hated to trade off my vintage kyosho ultima but wanted a pumpkin. will post pics soon. waiting for my 18 tooth pinion so i can put my venom 13x2 on it. came with 19 tooth that wasnt rite(stressing gears).Also put replaced msc with electronic speed controll,added full bearings and it came with a set of small tires on nasty rims so i added these nice rims i had kicking around(were on the ultima lol) and a set of ultra grip tires i had. broke gear box like first time i jumped it so its new (was cracked when i got it) ant the shocks on the rear came from a traxxas i had and relocated top mounts back for better shock absorbtion looking for a set for the front now. also a larger steering servosaver to get more steering out of it. has lexan body on it for now (thrasher body) gonna get new hard body for it for show.

[zueslilbuddy]

Sorry if posting too many threads dont have img hosting site

[zueslilbuddy]

Was kinda stupid but i wanted a pumpkin had one years ago. they are just too much fun. this was my vintage aluminum chassis Kyosho Ultima ***SIGH*** all hopped up and would do 35mph.

[zueslilbuddy]

In her former glory dont know what guy is doing with it havnt see it up for sale yet lol i've been watching lol

[giardinop]

I just got a complete Pumpkin body set on eBay. How much do you have to change to fit it to a Lunch Box chassis? I want to switch back and forth and I hope I don'd have to unscrew 100 things to do it. Any insight would be great. I've been lookin at photos but can't really tell.

[zueslilbuddy]

just the body mounts would have to be changed 4 screws.
lol thought this thread was dead lmao:D

[HYBR1D]

Hi there im building a pumpkin, but i would like to upgrade the shocks with alloy ones. Can anyone recomend a set that are proven to work well.

Thanks in advance :D

[zueslilbuddy]

i never had high end shocks on my pumpkin i did run oil shocks but were not the aluminum ones but if you want quicker responces you'd be better off asking questions in the tamiya lunchbox forum its a much more active forum than this one and its the same chassis. dont worry they wont get mad cause you have a pumpkin not a lunchbox. and there is pics of the front end mod i did to mine

[FESTER2004]

i just got this pumpkin kit in yesterday from tower.its the metalic special:ohhhh yes its chromy look'n

[Tamiya84]

I just got a Nice MP from ZMAN :) ill post pics when it gets her hopefully next week

[FESTER2004]

cool

i miss my orignal pumkin

[FESTER2004]

put the pumpkin togethe today,i still have to install electronics and apply decals,enjoy!http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r7/fester4x4/IMG_4353.jpg

[FESTER2004]

wow i forgo to update this,lol i did the decals(the day after i finished it)http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r7/fester4x4/IMG_4367.jpg and i installed headlights today

[FESTER2004]

heres the headlights onhttp://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r7/fester4x4/IMG_4472.jpg

[FESTER2004]

also along the way i got 2 more pumpkins off ebay & their is another 1 in the works...lol but that1 is a birthday gift 4 my brother in lawhttp://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r7/fester4x4/IMG_4466.jpg


the yellow 1 needs more work then the black one.one is for a friend to use when he visits and the other 1 is my my sister to use :D

[FESTER2004]

check this link out,this is a awesome pic of a tamiya pumpkin lowrider

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/pictureframe.asp?t=n&id=img15729_11072006152658_3.jpg

[aaron7]

Just joined up so I can ask questions about my Midnight Pumpkin!

Mine is red with gold wheels. It also has the old servo-actuated speed controller.

I've never seen another red one. It is factory paint too.

Is it the first one or what?

[FESTER2004]

sound like you have a orginal pumkin,they never came with red bodies,tamiya pumpkin bodies came black n then soemone painted it.as for the wheels go they came yellow plastic,if they are gold,they could be monster beetle rims.u have any pictures to post??

btw-welcome aboard

[aaron7]

Strange. The body is white with slight red overspray underneath, so it looked factory.

The wheels could be upgraded as they have ball bearings and these came with plastic bearings.

Also, someout put nice orange aluminum oil shocks on it, not the standard aftermarket plastic yellow ones.

It even has a Trinity Monster Horsepower motor on it that says 1987 World Champion! :p

I just put a new electronic speed controller on it and got rid of my servo, battery pack, resistor, etc. I bought a nice new Futaba BEC radio and receiver for it and a nice high torque steering servo.

This sucker is FAST!

I'll get pics up today or tomorrow.

[zueslilbuddy]

Man i miss mine bad guys it was a blast to drive and with the mods i had done to the front end handled great.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/zues_lil_buddy/midnightpumkin.jpg

[aaron7]

THATS IT!!! Mine is the same color and the same rims!

[zueslilbuddy]

Thats a lexan body though

[TamiyaRacer69]

check this link out,this is a awesome pic of a tamiya pumpkin lowrider

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/pictureframe.asp?t=n&id=img15729_11072006152658_3.jpg
How's this for a Low-rider Pumpkin, it's 1/1 and being built in Southern California, designed by Swedish design firm Visualtech.

Got myself two Lunchboxes the other day, one will become a Pumpkin. Already sorted out a Pumpkin body and some mounts.

[FESTER2004]

Your Right The Orignal Pumpkin Bodies Did Come White-my Bad

[TitaniumXRC]

Wow it's been a while since anybody has posted on this thread. I have a small collection of Midnight Pumpkins, and Lunchboxes. I have grown bored with the lack of body choices in the 1/12 scale. Here is what I did. I took a piece of aluminum and cut (Milled) it to extend the diff back to change the scale.

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/6539/11arms.jpg (http://img24.imageshack.us/i/11arms.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

This is the 1/11 scale arms, and this stretched it so any "HPI Wheely King" body will fit on it.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/7841/80349017.jpg (http://img228.imageshack.us/i/80349017.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/6216/12082234.jpg (http://img821.imageshack.us/i/12082234.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

After that I thought to my self, what about tenth scale? That's what I did.

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/7300/10thpumpkin008a.jpg (http://img820.imageshack.us/i/10thpumpkin008a.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/4672/10thconversion009.jpg (http://img121.imageshack.us/i/10thconversion009.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/5986/maycontest3.jpg (http://img37.imageshack.us/i/maycontest3.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/3916/10thconversion015.jpg (http://img687.imageshack.us/i/10thconversion015.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/326/10thconversion013.jpg (http://img163.imageshack.us/i/10thconversion013.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Unfortunately there is no pivoting in the rear so that limits it to on-road only, but I'm thinking about setting up a four link.



Well for now I have set my stock ones up with these bodies:

NIKKO H1
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/9938/77592779.jpg (http://img199.imageshack.us/i/77592779.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

HPI mini 63 Bus.
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/5325/apr026.jpg (http://img267.imageshack.us/i/apr026.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

The Bolink 1/12 Camero belongs to my daughter.

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7184/scamero.jpg (http://img638.imageshack.us/i/scamero.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

My sons Bolink ???

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/1738/junecontest018.png (http://img23.imageshack.us/i/junecontest018.png/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

And my nephew's "Spider Van" with a 75 turn motor

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/623/del01.jpg (http://img175.imageshack.us/i/del01.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[92gsr]

Awesome trucks!

[TitaniumXRC]

Thanks. I painted them all, but the last three are not mine.

[st_dragn_wagen]

The Bolink 1/12 Camero belongs to my daughter.

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7184/scamero.jpg (http://img638.imageshack.us/i/scamero.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)


that's cool! i hope RJ speed repops that body. i would so buy one and a midnight pumpkin/lunchbox. recreate this toy grade RC i had when i was a kid.
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh201/dragnwagen/RC/NikkoCamaro4x472vonWhite5.jpg
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh201/dragnwagen/RC/NikkoCamaro4x472vonWhite.jpg
(only my toy grade car was 4 wheel drive)

[TitaniumXRC]

That 1/12 scale Camero was made by the old Bolink, and is not made any more. I wanted someone to make it so I sent it to http://www.kamtec.co.uk/ over in the UK. He was going to make a mold of it and start producing the body for sale. If you want to enquire about it, go ahead and email Keith Dowsett, and ask about the body. I would like him to make them so I can buy a few more myself. You can also check McAllister, they have a 1/12 scale Camero, although it is of a slightly older model

[st_dragn_wagen]

holy crap, thanks for the link. there are lots of body's id like to get my hands on over there

[tamiya guy]

Here's some simple mods to make your MP or LB drive and handle MUCH better:

These springs always break
A good solution is to replace them with a pair of small round springs pressed into the slots held in by a piece of metal as shown
I'm using the same bolt holes the stock springs use to hold on my metal retainers.


In order to change gear ratio's, a Grasshopper 18 tooth pinion will bolt on if you remove the stock pinion and spacer. I suggest you switch to smaller tires if you do this mod so you don't kill your motor from over gearing.


A better solution to changing ratio's is to buy one of these slotted motor adapters. This one is for a clod buster, which works well.

[tamiya guy]

Here's some mods to make your MP or LB drive and handle MUCH better:

The main problem with MP's or LB trucks is the suspension is horrible when compared to modern RC's. However I've got a fix that makes a MAJOR improvement.

The goal of this mod is to change the suspension angle at ride height so that during a turn the front wheel gains negative camber for a better steering response. See the first picture which shows how far from parallel to the ground the stock height is on the front A arms. To fix this we will modify the stock shocks in order to lower the truck slightly to get the A-frame angle parallel with the ground, which makes the truck handle significantly better.

Starting with the rear shocks, measure the top of the shock and cut it off flush on the top side of the spring retainer on the shock body's.
See the next pictures showing the shock body cut shorter on the front and rear.
Then you'll carefully cut this same amount off the top of the front shock body's to match the rear shocks.

Now with the shock bodies shorter, you have to add spacers to the top of the shock shafts under the hex heads. I used rubber servo grommets for my spacers. (sorry for the dusty truck pictures, I drive mine a lot)

Also note I've added a thin spring spacer to slightly increase the front spring rate.

At this point I know what your thinking.
"Why do this when you can simply swap to oil shocks which are fully adjustable."
In concept you would be correct. But I purchased 2 different brands of oil shocks and couldn't find the right spring rate to accomplish as good of ride as I got from modifying the stock shocks on my truck.

Next we will make the steering better.
Buy a 1/8 scale servo saver and replace the stock one with it. Between the A-frame angle adjustment and this servo saver, it allows the steering to take more abuse without breaking A-frames as frequent. You will have to cut your metal steering rods shorter for this mod.

[tamiya guy]

1 more tip for LB's and MP's.

If you don't want all the wheelies, just flip the wheelie bar over.

[tamiya guy]

Here's my LB and MP.
(I was given the LB today - FREE!!!)
I'll be modifying it as soon as the parts ship in.
Other posts in this forum inspired me to make some drastic mods :D
New body, new suspension, shocks, motor, etc.

I'll post pictures once completed.

I also plan to buy a new LB to leave relatively stock to go with my MP.